Man-glicanism

Black Watch.  Two Anglican priests you probably don't want to mess with.

I'm hearing more these days about guys packing heat in church, CCW licensees sitting near the back of the church so that they can assess threats more quickly, etc.  We live in dangerous times, and I believe it is incumbent on all male Christians to broach the question in their churches about how to prepare for an active shooter or some other kind of terrorist.  It's the St. George sort of thing to do.

             

Comments

[DZ-015]

COMMENT AUTHOR'S NOTE: This comment is emphatically NOT directed at the blog host himself, but to readers in general. Any reference to "you" means the general readership, and not the honorable Embryo Parson in particular.

The question of self-defense using deadly force can be a difficult one for Christians. One must obey the civil law, of course, and that itself is not necessarily a simple thing. But beyond the civil law, what are Christians enjoined to do?

Some will say "Jesus said to buy a sword" [Lk 22:36-38] and that's that. Others go the route of "turn the other cheek" and "resist not evil" [Mt 5:39] and that's that. Using cherrypicked verses (and there are plenty more) as hooks on which to hang our personal desires is common enough, but I think the serious Christian can (and should) aspire to better. But what is "better" is not always clear, in this area or many others.

Are you a Calvinist? Read what Calvin has to say about private self-defense. Note specially the second paragraph of section 52. Calvin cites himself further here.

Do you hold with Augustine? Read the fifth paragraph of his Letter 47, to Publicola. Or this discussion from his De Libero Arbitrio (in English here).

But, we can also go to Aquinas' Summa Theologica which argues with Augustine and others of his opinion (though of course not with Calvin).

One could go further, but this is enough to make the point I wish to make, which is simply that self-defense using lethal force may not simply be a matter of buying swords or turning the other cheek. And Your Favorite Theologian™ may not share your opinion.

I do not give my own opinion, since it does not, and should not, matter to you ... you will not answer to me for whatever you do or don't do. I do suggest, however, that if you think anything about lethal self-defense ... Christian or otherwise ... is simple or obvious, you may want to think again.

For the record, I myself have a CCW and I carry my SIG 229 whenever and wherever the law permits. I have seen a few gunshot wounds up close and personal, though I have not inflicted any and do not wish to. I am not a badass or a tough guy, nor even a "sheepdog" if you're familiar with that term. But none of that necessarily tells you what I think or why I think it. You really need to work it out for yourself. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

PS: Don't forget that less-lethal methods are available, and may be prudent even under the standards of civil law. It's not an all-or-nothing enterprise.

DZ-015